8.22.2008

the veepstakes

Well, kids, by this time tomorrow we'll know who Obama's running mate will be, and in a week or so, we'll know the same for McCain. I think Obama's probably picked Biden, but it's interesting to note that Congressman Chet Edwards is on the finalist list. Edwards is our favorite member of Congress here at Texas in Africa, and we would love to see his national profile grow. We also think it would be a shame if the American people no longer had a champion for religious liberty in the House of Representatives.

Again, I think Obama has chosen Biden (which will, by the way, be a disaster) because he needs someone with foreign policy experience. But it's nice to know that Chet got the full consideration.

5 Comments:

Then again, unless he's planning to do a GWB and delegate most of his presidency to the veep, does it really make much of a difference who he chooses? Given McCain's age, I'd be much much more concerned about who HE's got in mind for his veep.

You're right; VP nominees don't usually matter much (except for the fact that we want to have someone who can behave well at the funerals of foreign heads of state). Sometimes they can bring a state over to the nominee's side, but that effect has been muted in recent years (see Gore, Al, 2000). What's more important is whether the choice gets the candidate positive buzz and a bump in the news cycle, which makes a difference in the post-Labor Day polls, which is when the campaigns really get going.

I'm with you that McCain's nominee is hugely important. That's one of my top concerns in voting this year; I just don't think McCain's health will be able to stand up to the insane demands of the job. Of course, there's something to be said about worrying what the crazies might try to do to Obama. He had to get secret service protection far earlier than most candidates due to threats.

I have this secret fantasy that McCain surprises everyone by nominating (a) Tom Tancredo (every Latino in America votes Democratic, in that case), (b) Joe Lieberman, or (c) Fred Thompson. In any of those scenarios, Obama wins in a cakewalk. Unfortunately, I think he will go with Romney. (Shudder.)